Something in the water
by Lambda man
Summary: Remember the Icthyosaurs? those were dame scary enemies. This shows how they got out of their tanks, and answers the question 'WTF was a shark cage doing in black mesa?" One shot


RESONANCE:

**Something in the Water**

Black Mesa Research Facility, Sector E (Biological Laboratories), 6:05 am

**Subject: Theodore Blackwater**

**Age: 39**

**Education: Major of Marine biology and Ichthyology **

**Clearance: level 4**

"Good morning, Mr. Blackwater. How ya doing?" the security guard asked.

"Why the hell are they waking me up at this hour? Lights on isn't until seven!" Ted Blackwater replied.

"Doctor Critchton said something about a weird shark. He wanted to talk to you without anyone else knowing." The guard replied. "I just hope these power surges stop. They've been playing hell with the retinal scanners. I've had to reprogram them three times this week." With that, the guard leaned lined up his eyes to the scanner, and held them there. The door open, and Theodore James Blackwater stepped into the biologics department for the last time.

"Ah, good morning, Ted. How are you doing?" Doctor Maxwell Critchton asked.

"There had better be a damn good reason for why you woke me up at six in the morning." Replied Blackwater. " What's this I hear about a shark?"

"Well, follow me to the tank and I'll show you. Bring the chum, as well." Critchton said. "And you might as well suit up."

"Right" said Blackwater. Suit up? He thought. The only time he needed the suit was when he was going in one of the tanks. Regardless, he got in his MEV (Marine EnViroment) Suit, which was just like an HEV, but had oxygen tanks.

"WELCOME TO THE MEV MARK III PROTECTIVE SYSTEM, FOR USE IN MARINE ENVIROMENT CONDITIONS. OXYGEN LEVELS100 PERCENT. AUTOMATIC MEDICAL SYSTEMS ENGAGED. POWER 30 PERCENT" The suit radio chimed.

"Whatever" said a dejected Blackwater, putting on the helmet attachment.

The shark tank, or just The Tank or The Tub, was the pride and joy of the Marine Biology Department. Lately, the department had been getting odd specimens, such as a swarm of leeches that could skeletize a group of mice in seconds. Most of them had come in from the Pacific, or so they were told.

"The creature is very aggressive, but it shouldn't be a problem as long as you have the shark cage." Critchton said. "Now, throw some of that chum in, and you'll see what they look like"

Ted threw in the chum, and a creature about the size of a man came out of the water. It had a head like a piranha, and the body looked like a fish, but had no dorsal or tail fins. Two more came out after it, and ate the chum. "Wow." Ted said, dropping the chum on the floor and leaning on a crate.

"Impressive, eh?" asked Critchton. "Pulled 'em in from the Challenger Deep last week."

"Speaking of which, shouldn't Doctor Fry be back from there?" asked Ted

"Erm... he…um… retired…" Critchton said. "Well, into the cage with you! We need to get them tagged before they're released."

"Fine." Ted replied, taking the tranquilizer into the cage. Ok, basic tagging operation… but where are they? "Doc, I can't see them. Where are they?" no answer. "Doc?" But by now, Doctor Critchton was dead. There was a loud BANG! From behind. "Doc? I think they're trying to escape." Still no answer. BANG! SMASH! They weren't trying to get through the tank; they were trying to get in the cage. "Oh, god!" yelled Blackwater. He looked up and saw the creature right in his face, and he shot a tranquilizer round at its eye, and the others came in and ate the corpse. He swam out of the cage while they were distracted and managed to get out of the water, and saw Doctor Critchton, or what was left of him, floating on the surface of the water. He saw what happened: Critchton had slipped on the chum, and fell in. he was eaten immediately. He ran, and saw that many of the other tanks were cracking, mostly the ones with leeches in them. "If those cracks get any bigger, I'm dead!" thought Blackwater. He started running faster, and as he got to the door, he heard the Alarm go off and one word repeated over and over: LOCKDOWN. The door shut, and he banged on it, looking for help. He saw two people that looked like a marines, and shouted, "HELP! HELP ME! THE WATER PRESSURE'S RISING, AND IT'S GOING TO KILL ME! HELP!" But the marine didn't do anything. "OH, SWEET GOD! MY FLESH! AAAAAAAUGH!" SPLAT! The water didn't kill him, something in the water did. All that was left of Theodore Blackwater was a bloody red stain, a tattered lab coat, and his card.

"Now what?" One of the marines asked, "We keep waiting?"

"I guess; want to get out of uniform and grab a beer or something?"

"Hell, yeah."


End file.
